Sunday, February 17, 2013

Iran to Establish New Navy Base in Sea of Oman

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari announced today
that Iran plans to establish a new naval base in Pasabandar in the Sea of Oman,
Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported. The base will be near Pakistani
border, some 30 kilometers (100 miles) from Pakistani port of Gwadar.

The plan will be part of an ambitious program to extend Iranian naval power
outside the Persian Gulf. Iran has conducted numerous naval drills in past
years as it increases its presence in regional waterways.

File photo: Two
Iranian warships dock in the Sudanese Red Sea city of Port Sudan in December 2012.
(AFP/STR)

Iran Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari says a fleet of Iranian warships will be docking at the Strait of Malacca and China in the near future.

Sayyari said the Iranian Navy plans to station warships in the Strait of Malacca -- a narrow 805-kilometer (500-mile) stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra - in the near future. Iranian warships will soon dock in Chinese ports, Sayyari concluded.

The Iranian naval commander added that the presence of Iranian warships in international waters does not pose a threat to other countries, stressing that based on international law Tehran has the right to sail the high seas.

It clearly says on top: طرح/ پرواز جنگنده قاهر برفراز دماوند which is "Graphic Design - Flight of Qaher (F-313) above Mount Damavand." Thanks to typically poor western journalism, they thought the regime photo-shopped the F-313 over Damavand to show that it's operational.

Militarily and strategically this is sound forward deployment strategy and the establishment of a major naval base was envisioned in the 70's before the revolution. All Iranian major naval bases with the exception of Chah-Bahar are within the vulnerable narrow confines of the Persian Gulf and can easily be blockaded. Iranian navy really needs to upgrade its fleet and buy more surface and submarine assets as well a fleet tenderer and at least a helicopter/troop carrier.

The mullahs have neglected the military for almost 3 decades and mismanaged the defence and foreign policies. In a recent western intelligence report, it was stated that only 20% of Iranian "diplomats" had a education level higher than a western high-school level. Iran also stands out as the only major nation without a professional Foreign/Diplomatic Service or a professional overseas Intelligence Service. Iranian embassies are stacked with mullah cronies who are largely illiterate and hired for their sycophancy rather than brains or merit. No wonder the Governor of Bank Markezi stole millions and ran off to Toronto and then tried to cash a $70 million Venezualan Bolivars cheque in Berlin. LOL.

A professional military, intelligence and diplomatic service requires the cream of Iranian youth and should be based on merit. A look at China and India's fast rise may be in order. Even North Korea recruits the best and brightest for its national security agencies.

In any case, if this eventuates it is a good move and so is further military cooperation with China where a couple of Iranian naval vessels are about to pay a visit. Iran needs to embark on a rapid naval development program, perhaps refurbishing old naval hulls so readily available in the ex-USSR and Asia. A fleet of aging missile frigates and coastal FAC boats does not constitute a blue water navy. Only China and India in the region can claim that honour.

I would agree that the mullahs should not be making idiotic claims such as the recent plastic stealth plane and cures for every illness known to humankind, largely for the semi-literate domestic audience. Iran today is largely isolated from global arms bazaars, not due to lack of money, but mostly due to the ignorance and a lack of professional expertise at all levels, since most of the educated or ambitious Iranians head for overseas as soon as they get an opportunity. It is not merely money or jobs (which are dwindling in the west anyway) but the draconian social and personal restrictions the mullahs have imposed. The silly dress code borrowed from the ignorant Bedouin tribal Arabs like the chador is not only impractical but also not really mandatory even in the 7th century version of Islam. Even the Persian Gulf petro-pimpdoms do not enforce hijab and chador, while educated women in Iran have to endure such indignities. Islam in its unrefined form is very oppressive and anti-normalcy, hence the daily level of violence, bloody sectarianism and ignorance in the Muslim world. The so-called Islamic world is now below sub-Saharan HDI (Human Development Index) largely due to corrupt oppressive governments and lack of investment in education and science, despite immense natural resources wealth. The negative influence of Islam and Arab desert cult has literally retarded the Muslims. Iran has huge potential if it turns into a pluralistic, secular and open democracy. Iranians deserve better than be fed a steady diet of idiotic claims of progress and non-existent weapons and be exposed as laughing stock. It is the sheer dint of size and large population that is saving Iran for the time being.

One flaw with your analysis...a free democracy has never been the case in persian history. There has always been one guy in charge. ( sorry, I don't consider the mosadegh government as it was too short lived and it was a one time occurance in 3,000 years).

How come; contradicting your statements, the Islamic Republic has a large cyberforce and scientists who develop different areas of technology, including the nuclear enrichment, missile development and cosmic space programs...

Iran now, as before, has always been controlled by tyrants. Yes, even several of those beloved and cherished Persian kings that ruled the land during antiquity such as Xerxes fell into that category. Ask the true creators of Democracy (the Hellenics). They were the only ones that would not step aside without a fight.

How noble of the Hellenes, fighting the damn tyrannical Persians for democracy! It is a well known fact that the Spartans, Macedonians, Thebans and what not were the true standard-bearers of democracy. Greek history is one marked by democratic rule, not tyrants and dictators.

/sarcasm. It was Mardonius who re-established democracy by disposing the petty tyrants in the Greek lands that he conquered and Persian kings who Plato and Xenophon, while Athens was hurriedly condemning men like Socrates to death and ostracizing Themistocles and Pericles.

If Iran had a more pluralistic and honest form of government, it would have advanced much further considering the natural resources wealth and human resources. I am not sure whether your comments are tongue in cheek or real. The reality is that Iran has not accomplished much in military or scientific developments minus the usual exaggerations. IRIAF has not had any new modern aircraft since the 40 odd MIG-29 since the 90's and its fleet is aging beyond safe flying conditions. And please do not consider the few hyped up twin tailed F-5E upgrades that would be shot of the sky by any of Iran's neighbours with superior planes. I may not be an expert at a lot of things but flying and military is something I know a thing or two about, and unfortunately Iranian military is now behind Turkey, Pakistan and even the petro-pimps of the Persian Gulf with mercenary pilots can outgun the IRIAF 1970 era aircraft. The shah had a rational plan to buy 300 F-16 that was cancelled, now Iran is weakest in the region in modern firepower.

As far as missiles are concerned, Iranian missiles are mostly upgraded North Korean NO-DONG or similar types. They are a credible deterrent indeed, but not good for regional air supremacy or combined arms operations. Missiles are tactical weapons and are considered a strategic asset if coupled with nukes, which DPRK, India, Pakistan and even the Zionists have done.

Iranian F-5 and F4 are now museum pieces and the F-14A even with hybrid upgrades are very few in numbers and two generations behind the omnipresent F-15 and F-16 in the region. The F-14 airframes are facing metal fatigue and high engine burnout rate (due to lack of spares)as well.

Mullahs due to their ignorance and fear of modern military have not invested in even a modest military rearmament plan, Iran spends less per capita on defence than the puny Arab sheihdoms in the Persian Gulf. Iran's foreign policy has also been very amateurish and the bazaari style of arms negotiations with Russia and China has only alienated most nations. It is a similar sad story in the navy and army as well. Iran has purchased no "modern" tanks since the partially completed T-72S deal with Yeltsin and another 100 from Poland. The initial deal was to manufacture the tanks in Iran and the total was about 2000, unfortunately, that number was never achieved as both Russia and Poland backed out. The few jerry rigged M-60A5 called Zolfaghar are just for domestic consumption and not really mass produced as Iran can not produce engines or gun turrets. Even India with Arjun and Turkey with Altay are having a hard time with engines despite both Russian (for India) and US/NATO assistance for Turkey. The naval situation, I have addressed above. It is unfortunately true that a viable military-industrial complex needs a lot of fiscal investment, industrial infrastructure, trained manpower and global supply chain. Iran's current diplomatic and geo-political situation does not bode well for major military purchases and the only viable option is a nuclear deterrent whatever the costs.

Keep on dreaming baby! the night is still long and its raining outside!!.ALL what you are saying is in fact educative and qualifies as good criticism but IRANIAN military and the Government in general have a very proffesional handling of all military matters!-- ,-"iran can not produce engines and gun turrets-! even India with arjun and turkey with altay are having a hard time with engines.....

@Iran if far much ahead of both India and Turkey in some categories of military tools!!.for your information UAVs are very much complicated and Iran stands at an enviable position in the word in their production!.and their COMPLICATED engines are designed and manufactured inside the COUNTRY!.

@you are talking about re-armament ! i think you mean buying some new military stuff from an western COUNTRY-HERE you forget that Iran if a formidable arms producer unlike the sheikhdoms you are glossing! .well the good news is that everything is under control!.

Don't take constructive criticism and rational analysis on a personal basis. I am as nationalistic as anyone, but when facts are glaring in the face it is hard to ignore them. Yes, it is true, Iran has made remarkable progress in mostly small unarmed UAV and strapping an unguided 200lbs bomb on a 60's design one way rocket is not in the same league as US Predator and others. The only "armed" Iranian drone is a clone of the The BQM-74 Chukar series of aerial target drones produced by Northrop in the 1960's.

If the mullahs had sane inclusive policies, less oppressive social conditions, a lot more educated Iranians in the global diaspora would go back home. A few years ago at a meeting in NY when Ahmadinejad came for a UN general assembly meeting and tried to speak to the expat Iranian community about returning, the most negative feedback he got was about the rampant corruption and social restrictions in Iran. It is beyond question that educated Iranians are very smart people and made a success in their adopted lands, but it is also true that most will always have Iran in their hearts.

So my point is that Iran has huge potential, but unfortunately the political and social conditions, along with a repressive Arab Bedouin cult of "Islam" is keeping it from reaching its true potential. Religion is a matter of personal choice and it is not the business of government to regulate and enforce it down peoples throats. The same can be said about the ignorant racist bible thumping rednecks in the US, particularly the Southern "Bible Belt" and the Zionists in Occupied Palestine who push the "Chosen People" crappola on others and commit atrocities.

In any case, Iran will have to work with China or Russia in replacing some of the antiquated equipment. Even the Chinese have yet to make a jet engine and re using Russia's Klimov RD-93 engine for their Chinese J-11 (Sukhoi 27/33 clone and the JF-17). As a mechanical engineer, I can tell you that Iran is not even close to making a fifth generation turbo-fan (turbojet) engine for either civilian or commercial use. India, China, Brazil and all aspiring nations are working on jet engines, only the Russians, US, UK (Rolls Royce) and Europeans EADS consortium and the SNECMA ATAR French axial-flow turbojet engine are suitable for modern combat aircraft. Even the Swedes use US GE engines on their SAAB aircaft.

I truly hope Iranian engineers can master turbojet technology and create an engine suitable for modern aircraft. In the meantime Iran has bought 50 Klimov RD 93 from Russia and is using them to experiment on the various types of US, Russian and Chinese aircraft in its inventory. Adoption of military technology by any nation is incremental and even the US used Nazi scientists and German technology for its jet engines, rockets and even the NASA space program.

Iran can only progress if it is an open society that is integrated with other scientific communities and I believe that the only option at this stage is an accelerated program with China, India and any friendly nation. In reality, DPRK industrial and scientific infrastructure is also quite advanced and Iran needs to strengthen that cooperation as well.

Thanks Jabbar for your kind invitation. I may take you up on it and write a short piece on the Artesh as time allows. In any case, the rationale behind my two cents was to give a more realistic and unbiased comment on the current state of Iran and its military. I believe it is healthy to have diverse views in a respectful manner. It is easy to criticize everything about Iran or any nation, but there are always both good and bad points. It is good to discuss them in an objective manner. I appreciate this blogs efforts to stimulate a higher quality of debate and hopefully this will help Iranians and others in understanding the great Iranian civilization with warts and all.

There is not so bad situation like you try to portray. The same missile will be anticipated for a destruction of a small or medium size navy vessel, therefore in an ASYMETRIC DEFENSE STRATEGY it is better to possess and utilize smaller vessels than bigger ones, particularily in small water areas...

The Iranian corvettes with the four launchers of large anti-ship or sea to surface missiles are potent and the good start for the development of the navy.So far Iranian navy possesses more than 20 vessels of that type and several new ones are about to be launched.

The same can be said about the attempts to develop a flotilla of small submarines with two regular torpedoes each and design and anticipated launching the larger size submarines.

My friend, without effective air-cover and SAM shield even the most modern ships (USS Stark hit by Exocet and many British losses in Malvinas conflict)just proves the point that in modern warfare air superiority is the best way of ensuring safety of surface assets. No one is denying the remarkable progress Iran has made in missile technology but a lot more needs to be done to be classified as a viable military power or blue water navy. In a littoral conflict in the narrow and shallow confines of the Persian Gulf, there is no question that Iran with its wide array of missiles can inflict some serious damage to any aggressor. The key weakness at this point is in the airforce, which lacks modern interceptors and ELINT (electronic intelligence like AWACS class) aircraft. The only single Adnan type Il-76 AWACS that Iran had inherited from Iraq, unfortunately crashed at an airshow and has yet to be replaced.

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